Operating mechanism for electric controllers.



N. A. MOKELVEY. OPERATING MECRANLSM FOR ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS;

PPLIATION FILED AUG. 18| 1914.

Patented Auw. 6, 19.18.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

@lf linjnqup-i 6'] I @OJO 6o Inventor* Newell AMQKeIx/eg Wtneses www/MM @MR/QA v +-lisottorne5 l N. A. MCKELVEY. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR EICTRIC iJONTROLLERS,

APPLICATION man Auefi. 1914.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.`

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Inventor 1 NelAh/IQKHV bij Witesses N. A. McKILVEY. OPERATING MEcHANxsr/I FOR ELEcmocoNTRoLLms,

APPLICATION FILED AUG. IB. |914- Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' 'IiIiIIi n II Inventor'. Newell A MQKeIVeH,

His Attone m: :voleurs rzrnzs cu.. rwomumo.. wAsmNcwN. o. c.

N. A. MCKELVEY.

OPERATLNG MECHANISNI FUR ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS, APPLICATION HLED AuG.18.1914.

1,275,061. Pat-@med Aug. 6,1918.

4 SHEETS-:SHEET 4.

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Witnesses: Indentor:

@www Newell A MQKelveH. o

135%/ n HIS Attorneg.

NEWELL A. MCKELVEY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGfNORiTO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A.' CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

f OPERATING MECHANISM ron ELECTRIC: CONTROLLERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratentednug. 6, 191.8.

Appiication'fud August 1s. 1914. serial 110.857,33?.

To all whomfz't' may concern:

Beit known that I, NnwnLL A. MGKEL- vEY, 'a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Battle Creekycounty of Calhoun, State of Michigan, have invented certain new L1nd useful Improvements in'Operating4 Mechanism for Electric Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to devices for controlling a high potential current lby means of hand operated mechanism including an oil switch; The controller is intended especially lfor startingand stopping large induction motors of the slip ring type having 'outside resistance in Vthe primary circuit. My invention aims to provide acontroller inf which 'the high tension primary circuit is closed and opened by an oil switch, usingy the ordinary controller contacts merely for vcutting out the resistance from said'circuit after the oil switch has closed, and for cutt-ingin said resistance before opening the circuit at the oil switch.. By this means, considerable loss'from the burning out of controller contacts can be saved. My intention' also includesa novel construction of ythe operating inechaniismfor the oil f I switch which gives/it a. quick or snap action both inV closing and opening, and the parts remain' locked until 4releasedby this` operation lof the mechanism. Back lash or rebound is guarded against, and a positive,

. reliable service is assured.

Thespecific construction of my improved controller and the novel features thereof will be better-'understood by reference to the following' detailed description takengin connection with'the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is an end elevation of the operating mechanism and the contacts of the oil switch; F ig. 2 is aside elevation, partlyV in section, of 'the operating mechanism; his?. Sis a persnectivcview ofthe intermittent pinion. partly broken away; Fig. 4L Ais a side elevation of a controller embodying my invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism. partly broken a .longitudinal section of the cani siaftV ,i Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6,Y

and the parts it carries; and Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section of the spring plunger.

The controller 1 has the usual upright shaft 2'rotated by a handle V3 and `carrying the contact ldrum (not shown); At some convenient point it is provided with bevel` gear4 meshing with a bevellpinionv 5 on a. horizontal shaft 6 which extends beyond the back of the controller andactuates't-he parts which make up' V'the oil switch operating mechanism'. On 'the overhung end of the shaft 6 is an int'erinit-teiitpinion comprising a hub 'carrying two crank arms 8, 8 between which is a crank pin 9 provided with an antifriction roller-'10. 'At each end vof the hub 7 is a circular disk 11, 11 having a` mutilated flange 12,12, the two flanges extending in opposite directions from their respective crank 'arms' forfabout threefourths of the-circumference of their disks,

and terminating in roundedv noses 13. The

crank pin engagesin a notchliin the upper end of a yoke 1 5ywhose hub 16 is' keyed to a cam shaft 17 iiarallel'rwith` and below the pinion shaft. A bracket 18 secured to the back ofthe controller 'provides one bearinn' 19 for the cam shaft, while its otherV end is journaled ina pillowblock'20 sup.- ported by the bracket.y 2 j -Oneach side ofthe yoke and'located respectivelv onfits `front and loack'arellugsl 21, 21 adapted to be engaged bythe flanges 12, 12 respectively when the yoke is oscillated to one side or the other by the crank pin.

At each end of the yoke is an arm 22, 22 eX- tending` parallel .with theV camshaft and preferably provided with a slightly concave inner surface 23. i. f 1 f Adjacent tothe yoke isan oscillating actuating member forv the switch contacts. This oscillating member comprises arocker whose hub 24 isfloosely mounted on the cam shaft 1'7A so as to turn independently there-y of. The rocker is bifurcated, and in each of its arms 25, 25 is aholeito :receive abiasedplunger, which is preferably coinposed of a rod 26.h`aving heads 27, 27 v secured to its ends, said heads having sliding fit in the holesin the arms. ,Y Beforethehea-ds are put. on, thimbles 428, 28. are: slippedy over thel rod, and the heads'abut against the inner ends of said thiinbles. `At the outer endsof the thimhles are flanges29 which rest against the arms 25, 25, and be- Y tween said lflangesjis confined a helical ,com-

pression spring 30 which encircles the thimbles and the rod. In the outer end of cach head 27, -27 is an antifriction roller 31. One side of the head 27 is .flattened at V32 to coperate with a pin 33 inthe arm 25 and keep the plunger fromrotating in the holes in the rocker arms. The plunger' is biased to the -1nidposi-tion and is capable of being reciprocated in a tangent t o 1an -arc of oscillation of the rocker so as to eXert a torque von the rocker. n

-On Aone side lof the rocker is a lug 34 to which is pivoted lthe Vupper end of a rod which actuates the contacts of the voil switch. The rod is adjustable in. length, preferably las shown 'in Figs. 1 and V2, where Vthe eye 35, which is pivoted to the lug 34 by a pin 36,y has a screw-threaded socket 37 receiving one ,end of a coupling 88 provided with right and left hand screw threads. The

' other end of the coupling screws into a socket` ,3 9V which has a -transverse dovetail v steps .or shoulders ,45, 46, 45', 46 on each groove 40 to engage with the dovetailed upper yend Ogf a bar 41 of -wood Ior other` insulating material, Lock nuts 42 secure the parts when ,the coupling has been adjusted by turning it by means of the polygonal collar 43.v 1 f Suitably secured to the under side of the hub 24 .of :the rocker is a sector-.shaped stop 44 preferably semicircular and having two side. Two pawls or dogs 47, 47 are pivoted at 48, preferably tothe pillow block 20, and each pawl coperates withone set of steps. A helical spring 49 connects .the ftwo pawls and Vkeeps them yieldingly engagedY with both sides ofthe stop. Each pawl Kis held positively in place by a latch 50, 50 pivotedat 51 and having'a stepped lip52, preferably of hardened steel, whose lower step normally abuts against the back of the pawl.V The rockeris thus locked against angular movement in `either direction until one or the other 'of the pawls is released.

' To effect'the tripping of lalatch and the release of its pawfl, each latch has a trigger 53, 58, preferably offset from the plane of the stop tov lie in the plane of a cam plate 54 secured to ..the cam shaft ,17, and having on each edge two inclined cam surfaces 55, 56,

, 55, 56. 'The ,triggers normally rest on surfaces 57,"57conc'entric with the shaft 17,

buty will be actuated these cam surfaces when lthe cam `.plate .is oscillated. 1A tension spring 53 connects the two"triggers. l

The rod 41 Ais pivoted atfits Vlower-:end to an arm '58 on a shaft 59 which carries the movable contacts 60, 60 of the oil switch; the one shown having three contacts to handle a threephase line. These contacts are the fixed contacts 61,` 61, with which they coperate, lare inclosed -in an voil tank 62 suspended from the bracket 18. The contacts 60'are carried preferably `on arms 63 pivoted to the-support 64 which 'is clamped to the shaft 59. A spring 65 inserted between lugs 66, 67, on .the arm and support respectively, gives .the Contact a yield-ing and wipingclo- Sure upon the stationary contact 6].. Flexible conductors 68 connect Ythe arms'with the support, and other similar conductors 69 connect the support with the connection .board 70 at the top of the switch.

The operation is as follows: Vhen the controller handle is rotated, ythe bevel gears 4, 5 impart a rotation to the pinion shaft Gand cause the intermittent pinion, whose crank pin engages l,the notch 14 in the yoke 15, to rock said yoke to one side or the other; say ,to the `righ-t in Figs. 6 and 7. The arm -22. forces the plunger to the right and compresses the spring 30 (Fig. 8), which exerts a strong pressure against the arm 2,5 of the rocker, but no -motion thereof resul-ts because it is locked -by the paw'ls and latches. However, with 4,the rocking of the yoke, the cam shaft 17 is oscillated, because the yoke is keyed thereto. Thisinoveme-nt swings over the cam plate 54, lwhose surface 57 slides down Vunder theA trigger 53 until the cam surface 55 reaches the trigger; whereupon .the latter is lifted and its latch 52 is withdrawn from the pawl 47. Since the surface 45 is `oblique to the radius of :the shaft 17 it will act as a cam, vand the downward thrust given to this side of the stop 44 by. the compressedspring .30 acting against the rocker arm 25 will cause said surface 45 to force 'the pawl 47 back and lett-he rocker snap over to the right, pushing down the rod 41 and closing .the lefthand -pairofcontacts 60, 61. The operating mechanism nowoccupies the .position shown `ficient to let the latch assume this position.

About .the time the crank pin of the intermittent pinion lea-ves the notch 14 in the yoke,.the nose 18 of the flange 12 enters beneath the lug 21, an d prevcn ts any backward rotation of the yoke and cam plate or any rebound of the parts when the spring snaps the rocker to its new position. lt also holds the yoke in position for the'hcrank pin. to re enter the notch 14 when it returns upon a reversal of the direction of rotation of the controller handle; which must have a considerable angular range in addition to that required to operate the oil switch inxorder to enable itto cut out thev resistance in the primary circuit of the l induction motor" 1 by a continuation of the movementof Athe con# troller handle after the i foilswitch contacts have been closed.:i :f f-':j.i:ff.=.f:

Vhen the circuit is tobeopenedtheIcon- -troller handle is turned backw'ard, iandfpres-l ently the Crankpin en-gagesjthe notchin the yoke, and l swings it: 'back' l to its horizontal position?againycompressing the spring Q30 'in the `opposite:direction to that' previously effectedij 'The I cam f'plate,"4 Aoscillating' with the yoke,pushes= back thetrigger fgand` releases the f pawl 47; from: the shoulders 4:6l so that the torsion-on the? rocker exerted by thespring'() can throw the" rockerwa'nd the stop lllbackFto'thehorizontaloivposi# tion in which they are shownfin` Fig.;1,and"v thereby, 1 through the'f rodi! 411, open the i oil switchA L; The 'pawl 47 moves back only far enough to, catch1 i the-'shoulder 45' 'when` the stop turns, and atv the 'sa-'me Ainstant the" pawl 475 snaps in undertheshouldeit(I and the latchesldrop intoftheir normalposition so' that thefrockerf is positively arrestedand held.: Uri Vf ;':f`

If the motor is. to run .1in-the opposite): di# rection, the 'controller handle turned back#V ward; beyond.'l the -of-j position', swinging: the yoke vover to .zthele-ft and' c'ausingthe rocker -towsnap over vin? thatl f5 direction and close the: oil switchcontacts 6 0,161f. In accordance withthe .provisions of the patent statutes,A 1I have" describedl 1 the r' prin# ci ple of operation of my inventionj'together with the apparatus which,l I. now f consider to `represent` the fbestembodiment'vthereof@ but i I 'desire to; have it'` understood .tha'tjthe apparatusf shown fis only illustrativegand that'k the yin'venti on :can :be-f'` earriedf Vout other meansy 9* y I What AIlclaiin` as :newfanfddesire :to secure by Letters" Patent of the :United States, is,Y-"- `l. VAoluick I action switchv operating imeans comprising a :biased plungerresiliently con# nec'ted to :a contact member"P and so positioned with respect theretothat a/movement offfthe plungerr'againstitsbias exerts a force' tend' ing to more .the contact" member, meansf'for normally I restrain-ing: the fmovement j of thef cont-act member from-apredeterminedposi tion, means for moving the plungeragainst its bias, andmeansy forzreleasingthe said contact member-, so :as to: ybe moved quickly to another predetermined position: responsively to the'force exertedQby'theisaidmovement of the plungerfagainstjitsbias; 1j 2. rA a quick? act-ion sw-itch operating meansl comprising :any oscillating actuating memberconnected to a movable.v switch'contactfmem# berymeans for normally restrainingthe moveneiit of the'gaetuating member Ifrom a'r predetermined position,- a AAbiased "plunger carriedyzby theactuat-ing member, movable' with respect' thereto f and solA positionedlas to exert a torque von the actuatingmemberwhen against v.its bias, and means' for 'releasing vthe actuating m'ember to'm'ove the svv1tch`contact rr'n'eniber .quickly tof anotherA fpredeter'-E mined position responsively to vthetorqueex-` erted by `thei 'said Smovementlof theV plunger againstitsbias.: ',flff 1 f1' 3; A `quick action switch operating means comprising2 an oscillating actuating member connected to a movable switch Contact mem'- ber, ymeans' for restraining the movementL voi" the vv'actuating member- -from a predetermined position, abiased member resiliently con; nectedl' A"to {theactuating member and positioned `with respect thereto lso as to moye inl a tangent to: i anj arc j of "oscillation ofv lthe' actuatlng member 'and eXert a1 torque there-J onf/means for- "moving the" biased mem ber againstrits bias so as to-eXert a torqueI on#l the Eax'ztuating"'member,-and` means for re;4 leasing the actuating member` to `move the swltoh Contact: A-member responsively toA the torque exerted: Vby the 'biased member: 'l f 'f 4; Af quick action switch i operating means comprising a rocker 'connectedfto a movable switch 'contactymember and -normally restrained* from ffm'ovementi from p'redeterl mined'posi'tion, .a biased fmemberfcarr-ied by?` the rocker movable 'with respect'1tl1'ereto and: so positioned as -to'e' xert a torque-fon'the rocker whom moved, 1means- :for moving' the saidmember against itsjbias soas-tofeXert a torqueon said rockeryand means-forreleas-L fing the'y roc'kerto move f thef'sw-itcliv Contact member "'to-y another" predeterminedA position' responsivefto 'the lbiasof said'm'embeizxff *51tr A j quick action switch-operating mean scoinprising a bifurcated member operatively conneote'dfvto va movable switch contact mein-v Y bert@ I llflgf Supported by 'the arms off the bifurcated member,1 lal fsprlng between said" arms' adapted -to "be: compressed by 'ta longitudinal movement of the "plunger so ias `to exert af force tending to {movethecontact member', means y fornormally restraining -4thevv movement ofthe contact member-from pre-- determinedpositionymeans'for imparting a af f longitudinalfmovement ftorthe plunger', andv means"y for releasing thesaid Contact member so las to'- be 'moved' quickly to #another predetermined position resp'onsively to the'coml pressionof the spring. #1* f A" f "Q65 A uick acti'oii switch operating means comprising fa 7rocker adapted-to be connected With a f'mcvable switch' member,- means for normally restraining said'rovckfer from move? inentt'jjfrom la predetermined ='position,' ,a springy plunger carried by said Arocker,means for'v exerting la pressure on 'said "plunger toy exert Ia torque on' said rocker, and mafns'lfor releasing th'rocker t'o'niove the switch con! tactflmemberjresponsively to the pressurejo'n' theplunger. c l ff.- i '51 7; Affquick action switch operating meai'is 'comprising ""a-y lzvifur'catedl "roc-ker' "adapted to? iso l for releasing be ,connected with a movable sav/itch contact member, means -or normally restraining the rocker :from movement, :a plunger sdpported by the-,arms of fsaid rocker., aspiring between. saidarms ,adapted to be compressed by a longitudinal movement Aor said iplnniger, means for imparting saidV movement., :and 'means' ol releasingr fthe rocker vto move the lswitch oontact member y,when

pressed. l I f y A8.'.A-quick action (switch dperating-nieams comprising a-,biurcated 'rocker adapted to :be connectedMii-th a finovable switch @Contact member, means-.dior normal-ly restraining :the rocker from .movement romfapredetelrniined position, @the said 4rockerhavingl @holes in 'its arms, a plunger sliding saidholes, n.

spring encircling said plunger between fsaid arms, means ,carried compressing said spring, meansfol' sliding' said .plunger spring, and means for lfr.eleasing the rooker to move the switch-contact member to :an-f

pressed between said ithimbles ing of. theplunger, means for: sliding the. plunger' lengthwise, and means tor releasing the. rocker 'to movefthe switch Contact meanber -to ,another predetermined position responsively to the compression of lsaid spning,

l-O.' A quick action switch operati-ng means Comprising a rocker, meansl for normally 4re.-

straining fthe; rocker :from 'movementyfrom a predetermined position, a plunger a `tan-gent to an are of -oscillation of rocker, e spring adapted to be oonipressecibyl said plunger, means forputting pressure lon tibeplunger to com-press the sprir-rg, means the. rocker to move to another i predetermined position responsfinely to the compression of the spring, and vifllreiins for communicating the movement .of the rocker to the switch contacts. f f l 11, Operating means for a quick action switch, comprising a VVriooker adapted to connected to a movable lswitch contact mem.- ber, means' for y normally .restraining .the movement vof ,the rocker Afrom a predeterf mined position, a biased member resiliently connectedto the rocker and movable with respect thereto so `as to ,exert a torque on'she rocker when .the said biased member is moved against. its. bias, .means .pivoted @oraria-113' With the rocker for moving the biased inem.- beragainst its-bias, Vand means Jor releasing the Booker to move to another` predetermined the spring hasibeen com.A

by Vsaid plunger lengthwise 4to 4(nominees the.

action switch operating means slidingin said holes,V thimblesn said plunger, a spring .coin-V the'V slidpositionffresponsinely ato the :torque `exerted by ithe jbiasfal Im-ember..

w12.. ,Anniek notion switch :operating means com-prisingri` a rocker, means for normally re- Si'slilfljslilg the .rocker from :movement from a predetermined position, a spring plunger moving a :tangent to ian .are of osoilflation said mooker. and

Ioapable of 4exerting za toren@ .on roeleert,

axially with said rocker., and having arms' adapted toengage the .ends of 'saidv plunger, means `for @leasing therooker ftoinove A'fto another predetermined posit-,ion reeponsively to itofqne exented A.on the nooker Jby ithe Spring plunger., and means @or communicate ing v:the movement of said :rocker :to the switch contacts.. y

` 13, v A quiek yadtion switclnoperatng ymeans a roeker, means `for normally restraining the rodkei' frgom movement from a pnodtormnedposition, .a spring plunger mowing in ,a tangent to fan faro ,of @oscillation of said rocker and .capable of'lexerting a torque on the rocker., a yoke -pivoted `coax-- ially With said rocker, and having arms adapted tofengage 4the .ends of said plunger, a robatableshaift, means whereby said ,sha-ft osoillatefsaid yoke sto compress ithe spring assoointedwith said plunger, means for releasing vrooker toimove to another predetermined posi-tion responsinely to the'oomoff said spring, and means ffor communicatillg `themovement ofsaidrocker to the switch ,contacts Y 1.4:. A `quick action-switch ,Operating means comprising a rock Strain-ing movement of bhe rocker fromv a predetermined position, a spring plunger moving in la tangent vto an .arc'fof oscillation of said rocker and capable of ..exerting a torque on the.roeker,.a yoke pivoted .coaxially with 'said' rooker., and having arms adapted to 4.engage theends `of said lplu-nger, airotatabl-e shaft, .a .er-.ank .pinon said shaft engaging said yoke for `moving the spring plunger, means for releasing the rocker to move to .another :predetermined `position responsively to Vthe torque exerted 'byv the plunger, and means for communicating the movement of the .rocker to the switch (Solfltgotsfv 'l i v .I i l5.. Aou-ick .action .switch operating means comprising .a rocker., means for inormally .restminingxthe rocker from movement :from a predetermined position, a spring plunger moving 1n atangent .toian are .of yoscillation of lsaid `rocker and leapableof .exerting a torque on the rocker, a 'yoke pi'zvoted:co.-V aX-lall'y with Said .rocker v:nad having :arms adaptod. toengagethe ends of said plunger, a rotatable'shaft, a `crank pin on said shaft engaging Saad yoke for :moving the spring plunger, means. for interlocking said shaft and yoke during a portion of the rotation of .said shaft, means 4ior releasing the rocker a yoke @pivoted coer,-means or normally rerestraining the movement of the rocker from a predetermined position, a spring plunger moving in a tangent to an arc of oscillation of said rocker and capable of exerting a torque on said rocker, a yoke pivoted coaxially with said rocker and having arms adapted to engage the ends of said plunger, a rotatable shaft, a crank pin on said shaft engaging said yoke for moving he spring plunger, lugs on said yoke, disks on said shaft having mutilated flanges to engage With said lugs during a portion of the rotation of said shaft, means for releasing the rocker to move to another predetermined position responsively to the torque exerted by the spring plunger, and means for communicating the movement of the rocker to the switch contacts.

V17. A quick action switch operating means comprising a shaft, a rocker mounted thereon, a spring plunger connected to the said rocker, movable in a tangent to an arc of oscillation of said rocker and capable ofV exerting a torque thereon, a shouldered sector-shaped stop secured to said rocker, pawls engaging said stop, means for locking said pawls to restrain the movement of the rocker, means for unlocking the said pawls, means for exerting pressure on the plunger to cause movement of the rocker when the said pawls are released, and means for communicating the movement of said rocker to the switch contacts.

18. A quick action switch operating means comprising a shaft, a rocker mounted loosely thereon, a spring plunger connected to said rocker, movable in a tangent to an'arc of oscillation of said rocker and capable of exerting a torque thereon, a yoke secured to said shaft and coperating with said plun- Copieg of this patent may be obtained for for ger, a shouldered stop secured to said rocker, pawls engaging said stop to restrain movcment of said rocker, latches for locking said pawls, means for releasing said latches to permit movement of the rocker responsively to the torque exerted by the said spring plunger, and means for communicating theV movement of said lrocker to the switch contacts.

19. A quick action switch operating means comprising a shaft, a rocker mounted loosely thereon, means for connecting the rocker to a movable switch contact member, a spring plunger movable in a tangent to an are of oscillation of said rocker and capable of exerting a torque thereon, a yoke secured to said shaft and cooperating With said plunger, a shouldered stop secured to said rocker pawls engaging said stop, latches kicking said pawls, triggers on said latches, and a cam` plate on the shaft engaging with said triggers for releasing the rocker to move responsively to the torque exerted by the spring plunger.

20. A quick action switch operating means comprising a shaft, a rocker mounted loosely thereon, means for connecting the rocker to 1 a movable switch contact member, a spring vplunger movable in a tangent to an arc of oscillation ofsaid'rocker and capable of eX- erting a torque thereon, a yoke secured tov said shaft and coperating with said plunger, a shouldered stop secured to said rocker, pawls engaging said stop, latches for locking said pawls, stepped lips on said latches, triggers for releasing said latches, and a cam plate having two successive cam surfaces engaging With said triggers for releasing the rocker to move responsively to the torque exerted by the spring plunger.

In witnessV whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 14 day of Aug., 1914.

NEWELL A. MCKELVEY.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

:sol 

